Stand like a tree
Taoism
is co-creation of human with heaven and earth into a unify natural
harmonious flow of Qi. That the harmony of the universe relies on
human's participation of transforming the Qi of heaven and earth.
The foundation of Taoist practice is based on
the premises that human beings with their peculiar matrix of consciousness
and organic formation serve as the third partnership with heaven and earth.
Harmony of the universal flow relies on the channeling of the earth's and
heaven's energy through the human body/mind matrix.
The picture of a person standing with the flow
of Qi from the earth going up and the Heaven's Qi flowing down represents
the broad context of Taoism and Alchemical Taoist practices. (For a more
detail discussion of how to stand, please check the beginner's corner of
basic body alignment.)
For our Dantao practice, we begin with simple
Qigong standing with awareness of allowing the channels of the body to
remain open for 30 to 40 minutes. Some observers found that to be incredulous
that any students would pay for just standing and do nothing for 40 minutes.
That is exactly why my students pay me—to remain in a state of open awareness
and not doing anything.
" There is no way like Wu-wei " Tao of Sat. or
from the more classical text, " in the pursuit of knowledge one gains daily,
in the cultivation of the Tao, one losses daily, thereby losing more and
more till there is Wu-wei/non-becoming/ non-doing/ non-action."—Tao De
Ching by Lao Tzu (500 B.C.)
" You think you have come to study and learn something.
In truth, I am here to take away your habits, your pattern so that nothing
is left. Not only would you not gain anything but I will take away some."
I once told my advance Taoist Qigong Therapy Practitioners.
Wu-wei, non-becoming is the central theme of Taoism.
As long as one maintains a willfulness or volition to fabricate a preconceived
projection of goals or ideals: becoming enlightened, immortal, wealthy…all
that projections are obstruction in the clear channels of our being. This
obstructions are the real cause of our degeneration and depressions.
In teaching the Qigong Wuji/supreme nothingness
Stance, I try not to give out too much instructions beyond the basic principle
of alignments. Any overt instruction would have to be de-construct later
as the student progress to a more advance level of Taoist practice.
Here is a heirloom story from my Taoist master
when I was serving as his personal teaching assistance and translator.
Stand
like trees
I could see that the beginning student was getting very antsy just standing
in class. I could almost hear his thoughts. What is going on? I am paying
for a private class and this old Chinese man just stood there like a rock.
Time is money, come on teach me some moves.
Sifu just kept rock still and everyone remained standing like stone
pillars.
We stood still for the whole sixty minutes of the private lesson in
silence. I could see the student was ready to quit. It was probably one
of the most exquisite class that the master had ever taught.
Later after class, we went out to Great Shanghai in Chinatown. In between
mouthful of dumpling, Sifu recalled a teaching story.
" Just before I left for America, I got a call from an old woman saying
farewell to me—she was sad that she can not come to see me off. For the
old woman is 99 years old, and she is so weak that she can no longer get
out of bed. And her doctor told her that she better says her farewell to
everyone.
'So are you ready to go?' I asked her.
" No, I want to live till my grandson’s marriage next year.' The old
woman replied over the phone.
' So you want to live?' I probed, ' then you should definitely come
to the park where I have class and I will take a look at you and tell you
whether you will last that long.' He told her.
' But I can not get out of bed, I am too weak to even stand.' She cried
bitterly.
' Then you must ride on an ambulance and have four strong nurses to
carry you in a stretcher.' I Replied.
Saturday morning, while I was leading my students standing in the park,
an ambulance stopped at the entrance and then four male nurses carried
an old woman on a stretcher out of the car.
As they approach, I recognized that was my student, Mrs. Wong. ' just
prop her up against a tree and let me take a look at her.' I directed.
Standing very close and scanning her, I said, ' You’re going to live.
But make sure you come back everyday for me to look at you.'
Everyday the old woman came. Each day she was able to stand a bit longer
propping against a tree. In a month, she was able to stand by herself for
20 minutes.
By the time I left for America, she came to the airport to see me off.
She lived well beyond her grandson’s wedding and became even a great
grandmother."
Sifu finished the story amidst our utter silence, as he took out from
his wallet a photograph of an old wizened lady with a beaming smile holding
a little baby in her arms. That was Mrs. Wong.
As I walked out of Great Shanghai and said goodbye to Sifu, I suddenly
realized that Taoist practice is working with the ordinary acts of life
without any fabrication. That the very simple act of standing extended
an old woman's life for another 10 years points directly to the heart of
Taoist practice.
To meet and solve the complexity
of life's problems and its sickness by extremely simple means of breathing,
standing, walking and sleeping.
After my initial realization, it took me almost another twenty years
to put such simplicity in my own Taoist cultivation.
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